Opening presentation from Film Florida's Legislative Launch held at The Vinoy in St. Petersburg on September 2, 2009.

1. Welcome to Film Florida’s Legislative Launch!

2. The Florida film, TV & digital media industry received $10.8 million dollars for FY 2009/2010. Film Florida would like to thank you, our Legislators and our State Leadership, for your continued support.

3. Unfortunately Florida’s current film, TV and digital media tax incentive program does not provide consistency or a level playing field with our competitor states… Why? Florida’s $10.8 million was “gone” to 12 certified projects in less than 3 hours – while our competitor states have continued to commit substantially more to bolster their economies and provide jobs. “ The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them”. - Albert Einstein, scientist (1879-1955)

4. Currently 30+ states offer tax incentives to the film, TV and digital media industry.

5. Georgia $524 million in Economic Impact 637 projects * The Preacher's Kid * The Joneses * Road Trip II * Our Child is Missing * Van Wilder III * Fireproof * The Family That Preys * Pastor Brown * Madea Goes to Jail * Living is Winning In 2008, our direct competitor states like Georgia and Louisiana attracted: Louisiana $763 million in Economic Impact Over 60 Feature Films & 12 High-Impact TV Shows * The Open Road * Beyond a Reasonable Doubt * My Own Love Song * The Bad Lieutenant * Microwave Park * The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice * Cirque du Freak * 12 Rounds * Welcome to the Rileys

7. What We Got . . . 12 Projects Certified $69 Million In Florida Expenditures $44 Million In Florida Wages Over 9,000 Jobs Created This year, when the incentive funds became available, 36 applications were received by the State Film Office in just the first 15 minutes… What We Turned Away . . . 24 Projects Could Not Be Certified Due To Lack Of Funds $124 Million Lost In Florida Expenditures $64 Million In Lost Florida Wages Over 8,500 Jobs Lost VS. The incentive funds were allocated and certified in just about 3 hours. Due to insufficient funding, two-thirds of applicants had to be turned away – a loss of nearly 70% of productions wanting to shoot in Florida.

8. The money in Florida’s film, TV and digital media incentive program was only enough to bring work for a fraction of our skilled workforce for a six (6) month period. FACT: We are losing workforce. In 2007 there were close to 102,000 Floridians employed by the film & entertainment industry. Many of these professionals are currently underemployed, unemployed or are working out-of-state; others have even moved themselves and their families out of Florida.

9. FACT: We are losing infrastructure. Film labs, post houses, equipment houses, etc. have made a substantial investment in equipment and personnel in Florida. Some of these businesses have been in Florida for over 50 years - when lost these businesses are very difficult to replace.

10. FACT: We are losing tax revenue. Loss of infrastructure will result in loss of tax revenue; and loss of opportunity will result in loss of tax revenue ; There were 24 additional projects that wanted to shoot in Florida THIS YEAR - they were unable to secure funding and now that money will go elsewhere.

11. FACT: And we are losing to our competition. We were once 3rd in the US for film, TV and digital media production, now we are not even “on the map”.

14. Legislators will be putting Floridians back to work ; Legislators will be putting more money into the hands of small businesses ; and Legislators will become part of a long-term solution that will increase revenue for the State of Florida. By finding a way to adequately fund and structure the film, TV and digital media tax incentive… In addition, our Industry’s performance-based incentive can be used as a successful model for stronger economic development incentives for other high-impact industries that will create high-wage, skilled jobs for Floridians now and in the future.

15. We need more funding ; We need consistency through a multiple year commitment; We need rollover of unused funds from year-to-year; and We need to identify a more permanent source of funding. In order to make the Florida film, TV and digital media tax incentive program as successful as it can be… We need your help… time is of the essence!

16. Thank You!